text:
The market is booming
This year’s predictions for capital raised over ICOs will most likely to exceed $2 billion by a decent margin. Such increase – around tenfold over a period of one year is beyond phenomenal. It leaves no doubt of a general switch in many industries as well as formation of new ones. And that brings us to one very important point – in the couple of upcoming years we will see many absolutely new players putting all effort to set the benchmark of the market.
There is no need to look far to find one. TokenDesk is one of the attempts to standardize the market and become the biggest ICO marketplace for this soon-to-be multibillion dollar industry. The company is based in Lithuania and is founded by well regionally known entrepreneurs. A number of successful projects were brought to life, rapidly expanded and sold to international enterprises.
The founders of TokenDesk aren’t new players in the market. Gintaras Tamosiunas, the CEO, is a former member of the Parliament of Lithuania. Him and Tadas Rimdzius co-founded bilietai.lt – the biggest ticketing platform in Lithuania. The team will also be assisted by Aleksandr Kasinskij, a director and a member of the board of Belorussian “kvitky.by”. The leader of the biggest Baltic ticketing holding – Jaanus Beilmann has joined the board to contribute with his knowledge and experience.
The team are launching their own initial coin offering for TokenDesk platform development. Any blockchain enthusiast could get hold of TDS tokens if they desire to join this initiative for what the founders say – “a small revolution of ICO market”.
The platform is going to have a variety of features that are not currently available. One of such is an option to have all of the major cryptocurrencies in one integrated blockchain wallet. While the popularity of cryptocoins rose to great heights, none of the existing platforms have successfully integrated their wallets yet. In addition, smooth wire transfers and use of credit cards hasn’t also progressed much. Therefore, conversion between blockchain based financial derivatives and fiat money still remains difficult and rather inconvenient. TokenDesk platform will have all these disadvantages sorted out.
“We are going to dedicate 12% of net profit to buy back the TDS tokens in order to increase the liquidity and value for our investors. It is just one of many great ideas that we have planned for our supporters and future ICO publishers. We will deliver new standards that, we think, the blockchain enthusiasts will appreciate and benefit from.” – says Gintaras Tamosiunas, CEO of TokenDesk and a member of Bitcoin foundation.
An opportunity for everyone
A pre-sale of TDS tokens starts at 4th of October during which the early birds will be able to secure them -55% off of the initial price. This is a limited time offer and will only be available for the first few investors.
The advantage of being the biggest and most powerful ICO marketplace on the web allows to set high standards and implement innovative solutions effectively. This way ensuring all market participants get reliable service and proper security of all their assets.
TokenDesk has partnered up with Avocad Law Firm, a member of CICERO – international league of lawyers. The trusted team of experienced attorneys will make sure all business activities of all involved parties are legitimate and safe.


text:
Every year in early autumn Apple holds its event where it presents new iPhones, Apple Watches, and iPads. This year wasn’t an exclusion. But yesterday’s presentation didn’t result in Apple stock growth, and here’s why.
PFIZER: will it repeat the jump?
The famous pharma giant Pfizer is going to release its earnings report on January 28 at 17:00 MT time. According to analysts, the company will post a revenue of $12.61 billion and EPS of $0.57.
Why is it important?
The current release will show whether the merger of Pfizer’s off-patent drug unit Upjohn with drug-producing company Mylan brings any positive results. While some analysts anticipate the deal to be powerful enough for a company to stay strong in the challenging pharmaceutical market, others are being more skeptical. They expect to see any significant effect only in 2023. Of course, the optimistic comments on this topic during the conference call on January 28 will be appreciated by bulls.
The previous release
During the previous release, the revenue reached $12.68 billion, while EPS came out at $0.75. The figures were greater than analysts’ expectations. Also, the company raised its 2019 forecasts. According to it, the revenue will reach $51.2 to $52.2 billion (vs. $50.5 to $52.5 previously) and EPS $2.94 to $3 (previously $2.76 to $2.86).
As we can see in the picture below, the price of Pfizer stock jumped on the release from $37.27 to $38 and managed to rise as high as $38.75 within a day.
If the actual figures outperform the forecasts this time, we may see a similar scenario.
Key levels for Pfizer stock
On the daily chart, the price of Pfizer is trying to stick above the 200-day SMA. The positive earnings report will push the stock above the $40.86 level towards the next resistance at $41.8. The downward momentum will be limited by the $38.67 level.
What should you do now?
Get ready for the release at 17:00 MT time and follow these easy steps
Richard Branson offloaded nearly 10 million shares, which equals about 4% of the Virgin Galactic stock, leaving him with an 18% stake.
Today at 00:00 GMT+3 SPCE will present the second quarter 2021 financial results. We will get to know everything about the company's financial condition and plans.
This week may be the most important since the year started as the Fed assess the economic outlook and the US presents fresh NFP readings.
S&P Global, a private banking company, will release a monthly change in British Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) on January 24, 11:30 GMT+2. The index is a leading indicator of economic health as businesses react quickly to market conditions, and purchasing managers hold the most current and relevant insight into the company's view of the economy.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) m/m on January 12 at 15:30 GMT+2. The index measures a change in the price of goods and services purchased by consumers.

domain: news


text:
18/2/2019 – Personal finance media platform DollarsandSense.sg has recently made an acquisition of fundMyLife, a local financial planning startup that connects consumers to financial advisors.
Financial details of the acquisition were not revealed, but with this acquisition, DollarsAndSense will add insurtech to its media business.
DollarsAndSense co-founder and managing director Timothy Ho said the deal gives the startup a chance to provide better financial planning insights for Singaporeans, as well as identifying gaps among their financial planning knowledge.
Prior to this, DollarsandSense has been working closely with fundMyLife on multiple areas, including affiliate partnerships, content marketing, and improving engagement with the financial adviser community.
Founded in early 2017, fundMyLife operates a platform that allows users to receive answers from a curated pool of trusted financial advisors via a private Q&A platform.
The approach gave users a reliable source of knowledge, privacy, and a platform to find a financial advisor best suited to their needs, while financial advisers who utilise the platform can access leads of potential customers and make a portfolio alongside client testimonials.
It also allows these advisers to provide additional value for prospects who have already shown an intent to make a financial planning decision, rather than offering those who are still in the stage of deciding the need for insurance.
“For financial advisors, they can focus on what they do best – provide good financial advice and to service their clients – rather than spending unnecessary time trying to get leads inefficiently. I believe this will lead to better outcomes for both consumers and financial advisors,” said Timothy Ho.
DollarsAndSense.sg was founded in 2012 as a publication focused on addressing the personal finance space in Singapore. It supports Singaporean to make better financial decisions through bite-sized articles, infographics, videos, and tools.
“I believe the acquisition of fundMyLife will lead to better outcomes for both consumers and financial advisors. We are committed to make this platform a success for everyone involved,” added Timothy Ho.
Jackie Tan, the co-founder of fundMyLife commented on the deal, saying that “DollarsAndSense brings their expertise in creating original content in the personal finance space, joined with strong branding and reach. I believe fundMyLife will achieve its growth potential in the coming months as a result of this partnership.”
For now, fundMyLife co-founders Jackie Tan and Wesley Goi will remain on board to ensure continuity.


text:
CoinCorner, an exchange among the global leaders of the crypto sector, recently announced that it has signed an agreement with Seed Group, a company owned by Emirati Sheikh Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. The partnership, aimed at simplifying operations with digital currency, represents a further step for the United Arab Emirates towards the digitization of the economic system. The country, in fact, aims to provide fintech companies with a markedly liberalized and growth-friendly environment.
Welcome! Log into your account
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.


text:
There’s so much to prepare for
As October sadly comes to an end, and daylight savings time in the U.S. with it, we have to look to the future and be prepared for the next two very busy months. But we have our most favorite holiday (after Jontober, that is)—Halloween. This is when you get to dress up as your favorite character and go beg for treats. This year most of the cities in the U.S. have put a ban on clown suits, which, I am told, often include large yellow wigs.
Nvidia almost closed the door on the AIB roll-out for the year, but rumor has it AMD stuck their foot in and said, Hold on, we have one more. That’s in preparation for all the AAA games that just came out plus the others that will be out soon. In time for the holiday season. So we have to prepare for installing a new AIB, maybe getting a new computer to plug it into, and the new games. Wow, major pocketbook hit, on top of the other expenses at this time of year.
There will also be five or six VR conferences to attend.
Then we will have the elections in the U.S. The world is trying to figure out how to prepare for that. We’ve heard Canada, Mexico, and Netherlands are closing their immigration offices for a month starting November 6 … and France and Germany thought they had immigration problems.
If we survive that, then we have the annual eat-and-watch football season, where U.S. citizens have contests to see how many belt sizes they can increase, promising to go to the gym next, no really, I mean it this time. And then all hell breaks loose when the retailers (those brick-and-mortar companies you may have heard about) throw open their doors and incite riots and mayhem by declaring everything marked down because it’s Black Friday. Shoppers tear apart boxes, each other’s clothes, and bully their way to cash registers so they can unload and go back for more.
Things are giant then for a few weeks while people try to get their new graphics boards working, or their new 4K 65-inch TV to work. Everyone will be yelling at Alexa and Siri and other AI-based voice recognition toys, while IoT lights, fans, and alarm systems are randomly turned on and off.
About mid-December, in the U.S., folks start preparing for the Christmas holidays. Making lists of who they will invite to parties, nailing lights up on their roofs and around windows, and shopping for trees. Office parties are planned, and other parties are also secretly planned.
Then it comes—presents are distributed, everyone gets a new graphics board and a curved monitor, and maybe a new controller. Laptops and Chromebooks are found under trees, and there are more gift cards than people in some countries.
Barely has the excitement had time to wear off, the hangover to pass, and the mess to be cleaned up when it’s time to plan the New Year’s party. And at the Peddie household, the annual (I promise not to show those pictures) re-gifting party. If you don’t know what that is, just be at our house on the 28th and bring a terrible gift you got.
So we have a lot to get ready for in these next few weeks, too much, in fact. It’s going to be damn tough getting any work done.


text:
Because the festive season rolls round, India’s many small companies are hiring momentary employees, whereas the larger ones are increasing to smaller cities and launching new merchandise.
With the Hindu festivals of Durga Puja and
The(CAIT) forecast gross sales this Diwali season to succeed in ranges at the very least 30% increased than final yr.
“Shopper sentiment could be very upbeat after two years of restrictions,” CAIT Secretary-Normal Praveen, who has travelled to many elements of the nation this month to induce merchants to replenish and guarantee they’ve quite a lot of merchandise to compete with on-line gamers, instructed Reuters.
He stated demand for CAIT members has already come again to greater than 90% of pre-COVID ranges.
Whereas India’s retail inflation snapped a downward pattern lately, there are nonetheless considerations about spending, in accordance with Khandelwal.
Logistics companies are additionally doubling as much as cope with festive demand, with– which started operations a yr in the past – increasing right into a dozen primarily smaller cities, whereas – which delivers merchandise on behalf of e-commerce companies – has doubled its parcel processing capability.
“We intention to strengthen connectivity past the metro cities to result in higher accessibility and ease of doing enterprise for smaller and medium enterprises in tier-two and -three cities,”founder Yogesh Dhingra instructed Reuters.
Logistics operatorexpects to create greater than 75,000 seasonal jobs round September to cater to “considerably increased volumes in the course of the festive season”.
With inputs from Reuters


text:
Mobile And Internet TV On The Rise, But Cable Not Leaving Anytime Soon
On one hand, the fact that four in ten of those surveyed watch broadband or mobile TV at least once monthly speaks volumes about the power of new content channels. 40% of people admit to watching a non-traditional media portal at least once per month. Considering that around only 65% of America has broadband, that's really impressive. On the other hand, 60% still only watch TV the "normal" way, which means we have a long way to go before people really start canceling their cable subscriptions with any sense of urgency.
It's important to note that this was an Internet survey, so it's highly likely that Internet users would watch more Internet TV. That said, the figures are super interesting. A whopping 82% of those aged 15-17 admitted to watching online or mobile TV at least once monthly, and on handheld devices alone, half (48%) of online young people surveyed report watching TV content at least monthly, doubling from 24% last year.
According to the Horowitz study, of all the hours Internet users say they spend watching TV programs, about 4% of TV time is on a platform other than a TV set — 2% on a PC/laptop and 2% on a handheld — with the vast majority (96%) still consumed via the traditional television platform. "It's important to keep in perspective that when all is said and done, consumers are still spending only a very small amount of their total TV time on alternative platforms," notes Adriana Waterston, VP of Marketing for the research firm. "But, we anticipate that multiplatform TV viewing will continue to grow — especially among young people — as the technology improves towards a more authentic and convenient TV experience, and with programmers and aggregators actively promoting themselves on these platforms."
Have your viewing habits changed now that Hulu, Boxee and all of the other Web-based choices have made themselves known? Are you still a traditional sofa surfer?


text:
Spam cost EU businesses Ã„2.5 billion last year, according to the European Commission which today announced its plans to wage war against the e-mail menace, through a mix of enforcement action, technical measures and consumer awareness.
Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, outlined today in Brussels how the Commission is planning to address the proliferation of unsolicited commercial e-mail. Given the adoption last year of a directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications, Member States have to transpose measures against spam into national legislation by the end of October 2003 Ã± albeit critics note that the so-called ban contains significant loopholes.
As a second step, the European Commission expects a Communication on spam to be adopted in the autumn. Concrete action, it says, would focus on effective enforcement, notably through international co-operation, technical measures for countering spam, and consumer awareness.
The proposed measures would be first tested with Member States and interested parties through a workshop to be convened in October.
Erkki Liikanen said:
“We must act before users of e-mails or SMS stop using the internet or mobile services, or refrain from using it to the extent that they otherwise would”.
The Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications promises a ‘ban on spam’ to individuals. It is due to be implemented across Europe by 31st October 2003.
With a limited exception covering existing customer relationships, e-mail marketing is only allowed with prior consent. This so-called ‘opt-in’ regime equally covers SMS messages and other electronic messages received on any mobile or fixed terminal.
However, the Directive gives Member States the option to ban unsolicited commercial e-mails to businesses Ã± and that’s an option which the UK Government plans to reject, according to its draft implementing law which recently completed a period of public consultation.
The problem is that, while the Commission is talking about the enormous cost of spam to businesses, the UK approach might only encourage spam to company e-mail addresses.
Since much spam comes from outside the EU, international co-operation is a key element of the Commission’s response. During a visit to the US Federal Trade Commission in June, Commissioner Liikanen stressed the need for a global approach to the global problem. He also offered today to host an OECD workshop on spam early in 2004 to convene experts from around the world.


text:
Consumer Confidence Drops, Can Retailers Like Walmart End 2018 Well?
The confidence of consumers in the mid-term performance of the U.S. economy has declined, placing more pressure on retailers like Walmart and Target that have been struggling since the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2018. Along with major technology stocks in the likes of Apple and Amazon, retailers have been amongst the worst performing
The post Consumer Confidence Drops, Can Retailers Like Walmart End 2018 Well? appeared first on CCN
Posted by Joseph Young on December 31, 2018 @ https://www.ccn.com/consumer-confidence-drops-can-retailers-like-walmart-end-2018-well/


text:
Selfridges has hired former Marks & Spencer executive Nicola Waller as its head of food buying and merchandising.
Waller joined this week and will report to Ewan Venters, food and catering director.
She had previously spent ten years at Marks & Spencer in various food category management roles and left in June. Prior to that was at Sainsbury’s and Safeway.
Headhunter Anthony Gregg Partnership placed Waller in her new role.


text:
New ownership team at specialist engineering business
Tadcaster-based engineering firm Tadweld has announced new ownership, as the business celebrates a record-breaking year despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.
Richard Byfield, John Denton, Iain Leedham, Paul Rose and Kevin Wheelock have taken the reins, heralding a new era for the firm.
It was founded in 1978 to create steel and engineering services for the town’s local breweries, businesses and farming community.
Tadweld now works with some of the world’s largest brands – including Coca Cola, Britvic, Guinness, Nestle, Diageo and Tetra Pak – providing steel solutions with its team of skilled engineers.
Its work includes installing time-critical platforms and walkways, which are often the base for significant production line investment.
The new owners bring a wealth of manufacturing, operational and financial experience.
2019/20 – their first full financial year at the helm – has seen a revenue increase of 23% and a 97% increase in profit for the firm.
The team has led on a rebrand of Tadweld, which includes a new logo and new website which launched earlier this month.
With a large proportion of Tadweld’s customers being in the food and drink sector, the company plays a vital role in these supply chains and has continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
A sudden spike in demand experienced by these sectors when the Government announced lockdown in March, meant Tadweld worked with its key customers to install new lines and increase production capacity, keeping supplies moving.
Chris Joy, operational director who has been an integral part of the Tadweld team for more than 25 years, sits on the board of directors along with the company’s new owners.
Tadweld’s new chairman and director Paul Rose – formerly an EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Manufacturing and one of Yorkshire’s leading businessmen – said: “This fantastic business opportunity was brought to the team of investors by Richard Byfield who had known the previous owner and the business for many years.
“In a very short time, we have seen some amazing results, improving efficiency, growing revenues and increasing profits during a hugely challenging period for many UK manufacturers.
“The new board is excited to build on these encouraging results whilst retaining a firm commitment to working with our highly-trained specialist engineers to provide the innovative, practical solutions that have been the cornerstone of Tadweld’s success for decades.”


text:
THE Ministry of Science and Technology in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Most-Barmm) has turned over last week processing equipment to three identified cooperatives in Jolo, Sulu.
Most Minister Aida Silongan, who led the turnover of the equipment, named the recipient-cooperatives as the Bansag Babai Incorporated Women’s Organization; SWC Sardines Cooperative; and Usaha Sin Anak Miskin Cooperative.
Silongan said the three cooperatives are engaged in chili paste and powder processing, sardines making, and native coffee processing.
The Most and the three cooperatives have also signed a memorandum of agreement, which stated the roles and responsibilities of both parties.
Silongan believed that the processing equipment given to the organization would certainly speed up the production of their products.
“We are glad to turn over processing equipment to three identified cooperatives here in Sulu as it will provide more products, add profit to the organization, and will greatly help members in their livelihood,” Silongan said.
The turnover of equipment is part of Most’s Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program in the region to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) produce more products that will significantly increase more profit and will aid in production. (SunStar Zamboanga)


text:
// John Lewis Partnership welcomes new executive director of strategy & commercial development
// Nina Bhatia was formerly the managing director of Hive – a connected home business
John Lewis Partnership has appointed Nina Bhatia as the executive director of strategy and commercial development, as part of the newly formed Future Partnership executive team.
She will join office on February 17 and will report directly to chair Sharon White.
Bhatia was formerly the managing director of Hive – a connected home business – before serving as a partner at McKinsey & Co.
- John Lewis customer director Craig Inglis to leave
- John Lewis Partnership posts last ever weekly update amid business changes
“I am delighted to be joining the partnership. The business’s purpose and its two incredibly strong brands resonate strongly with me,” Bhatia said.
“Working with partners across the business, I look forward to developing a strategy for the partnership that is relevant to our customers, is built on trust and delivers commercial value.”
White said: “Nina brings tremendous commercial and strategic experience and will play a crucial role as part of the newly formed Future Partnership executive team.”
White was the chief executive of Ofcom for five years before joining John Lewis Partnership this week – at a time when the business has seen a growing list of senior management departures.
John Lewis’ customer director Craig Inglis became the latest exec to announce his resignation, less than a month after John Lewis managing director Paula Nickolds revealed she would also be leaving the department store chain after 25 years in the business.
Nickolds’ surprise departure came in the wake of a tough Christmas. While like-for-like sales at Waitrose by 0.4 per cent, John Lewis’ sales dropped by two per cent.
Meanwhile, Rob Collins – managing director of stablemate Waitrose – announced his resignation back in October.
The partnership is facing one of the most challenging periods in its 90-year history, and last week it released its last ever weekly update as part of a restructuring plan that will see sales and profits combine for John Lewis and its stablemate Waitrose.
Moreover, White gave her maiden speech as chair at a meeting of the employee-owned group’s council, held at one of its staff retreats, the Odney Club in Berkshire on Tuesday.
Outgoing chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield also spoke at the event which was attended by around 200 staff.


text:
The Stars Group Rebrands BetStars
The Stars Group is slowly but surely building its PokerStars brand into a name to be reckoned with. And since knowability is the name of the Fortune-500 game, the group’s recent rebrand applied to its online sports book BetStars – which will from now on be operating under the name PokerStars Sports – should come as no surprise. The rename is a strong and gutsy move with the end goal of having more products present under the PokerStars umbrella.
The sports book formerly known as BetStars operated as such ever since it was first established back in 2015 and will now for the very first time be instantly recognisable as belonging to The Stars Group and its PokerStars brand.
Rebrand Is Now Active
The rebrand is already evident from the fact that all BetStars domains now point players toward PokerStars Sports domains listed under the licensing and jurisdictions of Spain and the UK. What’s more, the group wasted no time going live with its new PokerStars Sports brand logo on its online Poker platform as well as on the official corporate branded website that is the online home of The Stars Group.
But the decision to brand-centralise will not only serve the group’s involvement in the global world of sports betting. The ultimate plan is to also add an online casino into the mix as part of the group’s combined branded entertainment offering. The idea is to build the brand by ramping up efforts int the department of effective and streamlined marketing. A master brand is particularly useful at achieving this particular goal.
Upping The Market-Ante
The rebrand is in many ways one step further in a future direction in terms of overall market presence. When BetStars went live back late in 2015, the sportsbook’s official launch planted a solid marker indicating PokerStars’ official entry into the competitive world of sports betting. The aim back then, as it is now, was to grow into a more full-bodied entertainment offering.
The ultimate coming together of the plan would have been when The Stars Group acquired one of the world’s biggest sports books in existence to date, namely UK sports book SkyBet. In addition to SkyBet and BetStars, the group also owns BetEasy, which is Australia-based and -focused. BetEasy will however now be officially incorporated by rival sports book Sportsbet, what with it being part and parcel of the upcoming merger between The Stars Group and former-rival Flutter Entertainment.


text:
Remember the attempted Shoe Bomber, who had explosives in his shoes and was planning to blow up a plane? Now, we are all paying for his asininity every time we try to take a plane somewhere.
The same tactic is being applied to firearm purchases. It seems the geniuses at The New York Times have discovered that many criminals used credit cards to buy their guns. So the brilliant answer to the problem is simple: let’s get credit card companies to monitor everyone’s purchases and block them from buying guns.
Can we get any closer to the Big Brother scenario that George Orwell foresaw?
It’s a rather insidious way to keep people from buying guns, isn’t it? Really, as America has come to discourage the concept of cash transactions, most people probably buy guns on a card. By blocking that, what option is left?
We could point out the obvious and say that armed citizens who have stopped criminal acts probably bought their guns with credit cards, too. But that wouldn’t matter to the people who want to take away our freedom.
We could also mention that if you let banks block one class of purchases, others will follow. But the gun control crowd with say, “As long as it’s for the common good. …”
This would definitely fall outside the parameters of fiduciary responsibility. But the liberals have been know to stop at nothing when it comes to trying to get their way.


text:
Canadians eat an astounding 88 pounds of sugar per year—it’s about one in every five calories we consume. But a growing number of doctors and experts say this cherished ingredient could be harming our health. Check out a breakdown of the sugar consumption of Canadians below, and read more in ‘Death by sugar,’ our latest cover story.
Infographic: How much sugar do you eat in a year?
The average teen boy eats 138 pounds per year, and the primary source is soft drinks


text:
A conference is approaching, and a small business has a booth to prepare.
The expenses can quickly mount. At minimum, the business will need a banner; otherwise, the cardboard sign provided by the organizers will have to do.
It would be nice to have a customized table skirt and maybe logoed shirts for exhibitors. The business could give out swag, like branded tote bags, or something creative, with a logo etched on aluminum or leather by a laser engraver.
Of course, a company displays at a conference to drum up business – not to go broke in the process. The Springfield-Greene County Library District has a solution: the maker space at the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library.
In the maker space, individuals, nonprofits and for-profit businesses from the region are invited to tinker and create free of charge on equipment that includes 3D printers, a laser engraver, a vinyl cutter, a heat press, a slide/negative scanner, a VHS digitizer and soldering stations.
There’s no charge for equipment use, according to Eva Pelkey, branch manager. Some materials, including 3D printer filament, vinyl or solder, are provided for a fee.
So far, word on the maker space, which opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, has not yet spread, according to Pelkey.
“I don’t want this to be a well-kept secret,” she said. “We have so much to offer. It’s time for people to discover us.”
Jacob Helterbrand, a training assistant at the library who helps operate the maker space, said visitors often come up with ideas while they’re experimenting with the equipment. It starts with patrons engraving their name on an item or 3D printing a figure, and the creativity takes off from there.
On a recent visit to the maker space, plenty of sample projects were on display, from custom-engraved slate coasters to branded leather goods. Helterbrand said he has helped patrons make a variety of projects, including a billboard, window blind brackets, tiny model train signs and even a prosthetic cat paw.
Pelkey stressed that businesses are welcome to use the maker space.
“Small-business owners don’t think about the library first,” Pelkey said. “They’re DIYers, doing it themselves. This is one way to facilitate that.”
The library offers more than just the maker space for business owners, Pelkey added. There are also meeting spaces, software assistance and partnership opportunities.
“They need a place where they can receive vetted, authoritative information,” she said. “That’s what libraries have always done.”
Rachael West, owner of Niangua-based Eating the Ozarks, has found her business transformed by the possibilities offered in the maker space.
Eating the Ozarks teaches foraging classes, helping students to identify useful plants and wild edibles, and offers herbalist training, special event catering and primitive skills campouts.
In the maker space, West has devised engraved-wood tree tags with QR codes that lead to the Eating the Ozarks website. There, they can learn how to find, harvest, use and store food from the type of tree they’ve found, including redbud, gingko biloba and juniper.
But West hasn’t stopped there. She has made directional signs for her campground, engraved menus, farmers market displays, menus and branded cutting boards.
“Being able to have things that are handmade sets me apart,” she said. “It makes it that much more – I don’t want to say gourmet – but very upscale, through a free public resource.”
West has found she can buy a small quantity of vinyl at the library and purchase T-shirts from a thrift store and produce her own logo-imprinted attire for next to nothing.
She also gets to practice the sustainability she preaches by making business cards out of recycled cereal box cardboard engraved on the blank side with her information.
West discovered the maker space through her friend Amanda Francis, owner of Reeds Spring-based Forest Garden Yurts.
Francis attended a wooden bookmark engraving class offered for kids at the Carnegie Branch, and she couldn’t wait to tell West about it.
“It’s such a cool space,” she said. “Any creative person can just go in there.”
West and Francis had talked about projects for a long time. The two do events together, including dinners in Francis’ yurt or at destinations, like an upcoming 19th century themed meal at Crystal Cave.
The pair started with vinyl logo work on black aprons for use in Forest Garden Yurts’ weddings and other events. They are now working on a foraging apron for use in West’s outdoor classes.
Both small-business owners see the maker space as an invaluable tool for their companies.
“We work harder because we have to make the profits work,” West said. “We have to get really creative to be able to pull off a profitable event.”
But with the maker space, the creativity has a luxe edge, according to West.
“We can make something look like a million bucks because we’re willing to do the work,” she said.
Pelkey said people can experiment and learn in the maker space with the help of library personnel, and no prior experience is needed. In fact, educating people about the use of the 3D printer and other pieces of equipment is one of the goals of the space.
Located on the ground floor of the library, the space must be reserved in advance to ensure staff availability, she added. The plan is to continue adding more equipment and move to a larger workspace in the building.
Pelkey said there is no way to tell how many businesses have used the maker space, since creators are not asked to identify their end purpose. Anyone is welcome to make use of library resources.
“We’ve probably just had a handful at this point, but this is a great little secret we have down here with a lot of potential,” she said.
A 24-unit building under construction will join six existing buildings this spring at The Foothills Condos at Thousand Hills.


text:
Verizon is apparently set to introduce the HTC Droid Merge later this week. This high-end Android OS model with a sliding keyboard has not yet been officially announced, but details have been leaking out for months.
On Thursday, Verizon and HTC are holding an event in a club in Seattle to “celebrate the launching of the HTC Droid Merge World-Phone”.
The Droid Merge will supposedly include 3.8-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen as well as the standard set of control buttons. Like many HTC models, this one will apparently eschew a D-pad.
On this inside, this smartphone will run Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) on an 800 MHz processor, and sport 512 MB of RAM, according to leaked descriptions. HTC Sense 1.6 will overlay the standard user interface.
It will also allegedly include a 5 megapixel camera and 4 GB of internal storage.
The launch event announcement confirmed that this device will be a worldphone, capable of using Verizon ‘s CDMA network in the U.S. as well as the GSM networks in Europe, Asia, and beyond.
Pricing & Availability
The HTC Droid Merge is going to be released by Verizon Wireless on November 18.
The price for this Android OS smartphone has not yet been announced.


text:
30 per cent more exhibition space, dedicated business seminar series and stronger participation to address growth opportunities in CLMV countries.
BuildTech Yangon, the definitive trade show for the building and construction development sector, returns this year with a larger exhibition from 27 to 29 May 2015 at the Myanmar Convention Centre in Yangon. Organised by Sphere Exhibits, a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings, and co-organised by Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA), the three-day trade show aims to serve the construction development of Myanmar with a focus on infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, transportation, manufacturing and trading.
BuildTech Yangon 2015 is supported by the International Power Access Federation (IPAF), Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM), Myanmar Engineering Council (MEC), Myanmar Engineering Society (MES), Myanmar Industries Association (MIA), Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Singapore Institute of Limited (SIBL), The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (UMFCCI), Vietnam Association for Building Materials (VABM), Vietnam Building Ceramic Association (V BCA), Vietnam Electronic Industries Association (VEIA), Vietnam Electrotechnical Industry Association (VELINA), and the Workplace Safety & Health Asia (WSH Asia). The trade show will see strong participation from the Southeast Asia region including Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The three-day trade show will feature an exhibition of 12,000 square metres with an impressive showcase from some 150 companies from around the region namely Germany, Korea, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Bautek, DGL International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, FT Technologies Pte Ltd, JCB, Jenmon, Kumkang, PDS International, Peri Asia, Mines & Minerals Resources, Poh Cheong and Modern Building Materials are among some of the industry leaders that have confirmed their participation.
U Tha Hthay, Chairman of Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association, said: “BuildTech Yangon is an important trade show for the building and construction industry to equip our local professionals with the necessary knowledge and training to excel in the field, especially in areas such as high-rise construction. With this trade show, we aim to drive the adoption of new technologies and building materials that will elevate construction industry standards and skills of our workforce, and hasten the further development of key infrastructure, new homes, factories and satellite towns over the next few years.”
Leveraging on a booming building & construction sector
Myanmar’s construction industry is growing exponentially due to the country’s rising population and strong economic growth. The construction industry registered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.52 per cent from 2009 to 2013. In the second quarter of 2014 alone, the Yangon City Development Committee approved the construction of more than 1,000 high and low-rise buildings in the city, two times more than the number of approved construction projects in 2013.
The Myanmar Ministry of Construction targets to build more than one million houses in the period of 20 years to meet the demand for residential real estate. In addition, the development of Special Economic Zones in Myanmar will further drive urbanisation and the construction of new production facilities.
Mr. Chua Wee Phong, Chairman of Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd, said: “The CLMV countries – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, are expected to grow at a robust pace over the medium term until 2018. Following the success of our first trade show last year, we are seeing greater interest from building and construction industry players to bring the latest technologies and innovative solutions as well as seek new business casino partnerships at BuildTech Yangon 2015. As we strengthen our relationship with MCEA, there are also plans to further develop the BuildTech series of trade shows to other parts of Myanmar in the near future to cope with this robust industry development.”
A special CMLV pavilion will be featured at the trade show this year that empowers visitors to unlock new business pathways and access to networking opportunities in this region. Businesses who are keen to exhibit in this special pavilion are advised to contact the organisers directly to secure selected premium spaces which are available until the end of March 2015.
Robust networking and knowledge sharing platform
In addition to the comprehensive showcase of technologies and products, BuildTech Yangon 2015 also serves as the preferred platform for the exchange of knowledge and industry solutions. The trade show will feature a three-day business seminar series where more than 20 industry professionals and leaders from Myanmar and around the world get together to drive key industry discussions across sustainable building and construction, investment, vertical construction and town planning solutions, building automation as well as green architecture and design. Over 500 delegates are expected to attend this thought-provoking and enlightening series of complimentary business seminars which are open to all trade visitors who attend the trade show.
Sphere Exhibits recently collaborated with Myanmar Industries Association to organise a series of industrial park visits to key locations as part of a series of key marketing efforts at bringing the trade show closer to the industry. Over 100 key industry professionals and decision makers participated in this series of outreach programmes in Shwepyitha, Hlaingtharyar and Dagon Seikkan industrial parks over two days. U Kyaw Lwin, Chairmain of Shwepyitha Industrial Zone 2 to 4 commented that, “Such efforts not only help to increase the profiles of participating industrial parks; they also reinforce confidence in BuildTech Yangon as the definitive trade platform for the industry by the industry. As we look forward to the trade show, we are confident that industry players in the building and construction sector would find this trade platform beneficial to their professions.”
BuildTech Yangon is projected to host some 4,000 industry professionals including architects, engineers, surveyors, contractors, developers and investors.
Visitor pre-registration for BuildTech Yangon 2015 is now open till 20 May 2015.
Please register for the complimentary series of business seminars online at www.btyangon.com/register


text:
Jon Palarchio Joins Niterra as Director of Forecasting
Niterra North America Inc. [formerly NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.) Inc.] has announced Jon Palarchio has joined the company as the director of supply chain management of forecasting.
Palarchio, who will serve as a senior leadership team member, will be responsible for developing analytical tools for the successful prediction of aftermarket demand and deploying best practices for OEM raw and fab authorization requirements.
With over 17 years of experience in sales, program management and engineering, Palarchio focuses on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) performance.
For more information, visit ngkntk.com.


text:
We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
We drive the government’s policy of increasing the number of exporters and inward investors to the UK.
From 20–23 October the UK welcomes President Xi Jinping to London for the first State Visit from China in 10 years
UK Trade & Investment and the Manufacturing Advisory Service launch Reshore UK a service to help companies bring production back to the UK.
First published during the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Latest information for UK businesses on Russia and Ukraine, including the Crimea, following the introduction of further EU sanctions on 18 December 2014.
A guide to investing in UK infrastructure.
Measures to help UK businesses face the cyber security challenge and help our cyber security firms tap into the US market have been announced.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has published a report that sets out the strengths of the UK’s fintech sector and the market opportunities for fintech companies.
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Xi Jinping of China held a joint press conference during the President's state visit to the UK.
Hinkley Point C will be the first new nuclear power plant in the UK in 20 years following an agreement between the government and EDF Group.
An update to UK Trade & Investment's 5 year strategy to build on successes and focus on new priorities.
UK experience and capability contribute to the international development of health systems.
Trade and investment deals totalling over £5.6 billion and creating over 1,500 UK jobs have been signed between UK and Chinese firms.
UK signs the contract to take part in Expo Milano 2015.
The government has appointed Mike Wright as the new Chair of the Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO).
Dominic Jermey, Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) met local businesses in Bristol and north Somerset during a visit on 17 March 2015.
A leading global provider of filtration, separation and purification solutions, Pall Corporation, which is headquartered in the US, continues its investment in the UK with a new business expansion in Portsmouth.
FCO Minister Baroness Warsi tells British and Pakistani business leaders that strong ties between the countries are helping trade flourish.
From London to Rome in Kit Kats - a record 150,000 tonnes of the UK's best confectionery was enjoyed overseas last year
Access to China’s growing market of more than 650 million internet users is to be widened to British firms.
A UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) commissioned review of the evidence which shows the impact of language skill deficiencies on UK trade performance.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.


text:
There’s video at the site.
Great second amendment story. She didn’t fire a shot, either.:
Ernestine Aldana owns a grocery store near the corner of Muskego Avenue and Becher Street in Milwaukee. On Dec. 14, Aldana was working in the store when a man entered the store and pulled a knife on her.
“I was really scared,” she said.
But as the man reached for cash from the drawer, Aldana pulled a gun from underneath the counter.
“I didn’t think,” she said. “I didn’t remember what was being said. I just took a step back, grabbed the gun and that was that.”
As the gun came out, the man ran away.
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I think I was going to shoot the gun,” she said. “But he was already running away. Once his back was turned, I couldn’t do it.”
Milwaukee police said Thursday that an arrest had been made in the case after they released the surveillance video.”


text:
Hospitality Technology Study Reveals Restaurant Tech Strategies and Spending Priorities
Learn what IT experts from the quick-service (QSR), casual dining/full-service and fine-dining industry segments think are the most important issues in restaurant technology.
Omni-X. Nope, it’s not an age group.
It stands for omni channel experience, which restaurant operators say they want to put at the forefront this year, according to the 2017 Restaurant Technology Study published by Hospitality Technology magazine.
Co-sponsored by HotSchedules, the study presented the results from a survey of 18,845 IT decision makers representing the quick-service (QSR), casual dining/full-service and fine-dining industry segments.
The Omni-X strategy uses customer and operational data to bridge mobile, digital and loyalty initiatives across each touch point in the customer journey.
“Restaurants that have invested in omni-experience strategies are the most likely to succeed,” the report concludes.
IT Budgets Aren’t Going Anywhere
Although the food service industry saw slower traffic and stiff competition in 2016, operators don’t think it’s wise to lop off their IT investments in 2017. Instead, they intend to start loyalty programs to draw out and leverage customer data in making decisions and gaining a competitive advantage.
Restaurant technology priorities in order of importance are:
- Digital customer engagement/loyalty
- Business/customer analytics
- Payment/data security
For nearly a decade, operators’ main reasoning for making IT investments was to improve business efficiency.
Although, operational efficiency is the backbone and the basis for the delivery of an excellent guest experience, 61% of operators say financing innovations in digital customer engagement and loyalty are top of mind.
To execute on their omni-channel vision, operators will still need to lay a strong foundation so that their architecture is capable of using data thoughtfully across proprietary and third-party vendors.
Legacy Maintenance at Odds Strategic Spending
The study says that, on average, restaurants allocate about 2.6% (up from 2.5% in 2016) of their revenue to technology. About 58% of restaurants intend to boost their 2017 IT budget 1% to 5%. By industry segment, 62% of casual dining operators, 54% of QSRs, and 60% of fine dining enterprises plan to spend more.
The fact that IT spend will remain consistent is good news for brands hoping to innovate further (or play catch-up). However, trouble arises when you consider that 58% of those dollars is dedicated solely to system maintenance. That’s a chunk of change when the IT department is charged with big innovative projects that outdated and clunky legacy systems may be unable to support.
Where restaurant IT departments are spending their budget:
Fast Casual/Quick Service
% of IT Budget
Software Spend Revs Up
Software spend took precedence over hardware in 2016. Operators think that software – particularly in regards to analytics, CRM/loyalty, digital and mobility functionality – give top brands nimble systems that lead to a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
About 46% of operators will install analytics software for the first time or upgrade existing software to enhance Omni-X.
For 2017, 64% of operators say they want to plunk down more dollars on customer relationship management/loyalty, digital and mobility software. They see this as an opportunity to pull away from the crowd.
Yet, in 2016 only 13% of their money went to CRM software versus the projected 17% they allocated. Although operators wanted to funnel more budget into CRM, digital and mobility, they weren’t able to “identify the funds or perhaps justify the investment when compared to applications that more easily tie directly back to revenue,” notes the study.
“Ultimately, restaurants that accomplish this will have gained visibility and control, enabling better operations while delivering on guest expectations.”
Threats to Restaurant IT Innovation
Restaurant operators aren’t particularly confident about their leadership in the area of innovation. Only 25% surveyed believe they are leaders. And some don’t have a firm grasp on using customer data and analytics to drive innovation. But operators are becoming more aware that smart decisions and ingenuity can come from data and analytics access.
The study revealed the top two challenges operators face when pursuing innovation:
- The difficulty calculating technology’s return on investment (ROI), and
- Not enough dollars to go around
Last year, justifying ROI and managing legacy systems were the top two challenges. It’ll be vital that legacy systems integrate to accommodate Omni-X strategies.
Asked what’s on their innovation roadmap for 2017:
- 67% of restaurants named mobile payments as their first choice
- 49% of restaurants offer that payment option
- 41% said table-side ordering devices will be a priority in 2017
Integrating delivery services and offering interactive kiosks were other tactics mentioned as key priorities
Internet of Things (IoT), already in play at many restaurants, and upcoming Analytics of Things (AoT) initiatives will grow as smart technology gains a larger footprint in restaurants. The keys will be connected platforms and integrated systems on which to gather and spin data.
“Ultimately, restaurants that accomplish this will have gained visibility and control, enabling better operations while delivering on guest expectations,” the study notes.
Typically restaurant operators haven’t chased customer data, but with it, they can produce a continuous customer experience. The study recommends finding an initial starting point for customer behavior and segments by looking at pricing and labor.
2017 Restaurant Technology Study
HT analyzes data representative of 18,845 locations and compares restaurant innovators to laggards while highlighting how segments are addressing technology strategies and issues differently.


text:
Recent crimes and emergencies
- Vehicle sought in Scranton hit and run
- Man accused of running over officer's foot wanted for stealing cars, police said
- Dunmore motel owner accused of groping 13-year-old
- Results of Baron DNA tests are back, officials are mum on details
- Sick baby prompts investigation, arrest
- Mom gets up to 5 years for partially blinding baby
- Wayne County man sentenced to 3 to 6 years for vehicular homicide
Two men face a combined 199 charges related to credit card fraud after Dickson City police caught the pair purchasing an Apple iPad at the Target store in Dickson City with a fake credit card.
Police charged Kalvin Lopez of Rockaway Park, N.Y. and C.T. Burgess-Frazier, 25, address unknown, with conspiring to obtain and use fraudulent credit to purchase approximately $3,000 worth of merchandise.
Police said they detained Mr. Lopez and Mr. Burgess-Frazier after they purchased an iPad from the local Target store on June 8. Target loss prevention informed police that the pair tried to use several credit cards to purchase the tablet before one finally went through.
After obtaining a search warrant June 10, police found a false New Jersey driver's license, 15 Visa credit cards, two American Express cards and a Square card reader in Mr. Lopez's vehicle.
He was arraigned June 18. A preliminary hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday was continued until July 10 at 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Lopez has been released on $10,000 bail.
Dickson City police have issued a warrant for Mr. Burgess-Frazier.
Among the 199 counts are charges of access device fraud; criminal attempt - access device is counterfeit, altered, incomplete; conspiracy - access device is counterfeit, altered, incomplete; and tampering records or ID-writing.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.org, @sscintoTT on Twitter


text:
expanded the distribution territory of Essential Ingredients
to include 11 states within the Midwestern region of the US. Essential Ingredients will be the exclusive distributor for US customers in the Northeast, Southeast and Mid-West areas of the United States, for the full range of products.
“We are excited at the opportunity to expand Essential Ingredients into the Midwest to distribute our product line,” said Brian Pickel, vice president, sales of Floratech. “The synergy between our two companies dating back to the 1990’s will ensure the focus remains on our common customers in this ever-evolving distribution landscape.”
“Floratech was one of our first partners when we started Essential Ingredients in 1996 and we have been privileged to expand our business together from the Southeast, to the Northeast (in 2004), and now to the Midwest,” said Kris Maynard, Chairman & CEO of Essential Ingredients. “We have much in common with Floratech as we both share not only an uncompromising commitment to excellence, but we are also both 100% Employee-Owned which brings an extra measure of dedication from every member of the team.”


text:
Tracking pharmaceuticals from ingredient to patient is a big business — one that local tech company TraceLink is tapping into quite adeptly.
Today we’ve got our eyes on the fast-growing track-and-trace network, which helps connect the pharmaceutical supply chain and eliminate counterfeit prescription drugs from the global marketplace.
The North Reading-based tech company just raised a whopping $93 million Series D round led by Georgian Partners to fuel the total digitization of the global pharma supply chain.
That sounds like an ambitious goal, but TraceLink says it can do this by integrating real-time information sharing with a single point-and-click connection to its “Life Sciences Cloud,” which creates a supply chain control tower that delivers total insight into the global marketplace.
“As we continue to execute on our vision to build the digital supply chain, we are making strategic investments in machine learning, artificial intelligence and blockchain, ultimately delivering an open development platform for information sharing and predictive analytics,” said CEO and President Shabbir Dahod in a statement.
TraceLink will also use the funds for research and development, as well as added support for its customers: a growing pool of more than 930 pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesale distributors, hospitals and pharmacies.
New investors Vulcan Capital and Willett Advisors LLC also participated in the round, as did existing investors FirstMark Capital, Volition Capital, F-Prime Capital and Goldman Sachs.
To date, TraceLink has raised over $167 million in investments. The company employs 500 people globally, and roughly 300 at its Massachusetts headquarters.
Trace Link has roughly 20 open position, primarily in its engineering and R&D departments.
"The pharmaceutical industry is at a digital tipping point, and TraceLink is in the ideal position to drive major advancements in this transformation with its information-sharing network platform,” said Tyson Baber, partner at Georgian Partners, in a statement.


text:
ATLANTA — January 9, 2019 — HomTex Inc. — the Alabama based global textile, apparel, and home goods leader — has announced the acquisition of Southern Proper®. By tying together the innovative and exceptional quality that the HomTex family of brands is known for, along with the tried and true marketing and authenticity of the Southern Proper brand, this strategic move will create a lifestyle brand engine for producing unique consumer goods across the home and apparel markets both domestically and abroad.
With the acquisition of the brand, the HomTex leadership will work with the Southern Proper team to enhance and build superior product quality, expand categories and fuel growth beyond its current footprint. Founder and CEO Emmie Howard will continue to lead these efforts for Southern Proper and collaborate with the HomTex vision to create a family of truly exceptional labels within their family of brands.
“This strategic acquisition of Southern Proper not only aligns two great entrepreneurial efforts, but enhances the overall strength of our heritage of HomTex as an industry leader.” said Jeremy Wootten, president and CFO of HomTex. “We are pleased to have such a complementary brand in our repertoire and expand our consumer base.
“We have been making products for 30 years that actually make people’s lives better. With our products, consumers sleep better, feel better and now we are pleased to announce they can dress better too”.
Southern Proper and HomTex will be launching several product expansions in 2019 including Southern Proper for the Home.
Posted January 10, 2019
Source: HomTex Inc.


text:
Dassault Systèmes to Acquire MatrixOne2 Mar, 2006
PLM powerhouse wants an even bigger chunk of the market, says CEO Charles
The manufacturing world awakened yesterday to the announcement that PLM provider Dassault Systèmes was acquiring MatrixOne, developer of collaborative PLM solutions for the value chain, for approximately $408 million in cash. Subject to customary closing conditions, the proposed deal is expected to finalize by the end of June.
Dassault, which develops the ENOVIA and SMARTEAM product lifecycle management solutions, is bringing the MatrixOne offerings into the fold to extend its reach into new markets, the company reports. Typical Dassault PLM users include automotive and aerospace suppliers and ship builders. MatrixOne's customers are largely in the high-tech, consumer products and medical device industries.
In a press conference Thursday morning, Dassault president and CEO Bernard Charles said, "We have not been covering the full spectrum of product lines, and this is what we plan to do with MatrixOne." He emphasized that the companies are "very complementary," and that the acquisition will be "a way to reach new customers."
Charles continued, "We have seen in the past years that the business processes that were used for very complex products in large-scale enterprises were really meaningful to companies where the product itself is not so complex, but the processes that you must follow to coordinate the task are indeed relatively complex, specifically when you have a complex supply chain." MatrixOne technology is directed at those very processes.
Noting that, "we believe the [MatrixOne technology] is best in class to serve this process-modeling market," Charles further explained his company's move. "The rationale is really the fact that, as PLM is not really about business processes from the past but new business processes for global collaborative innovation, we need to continue to scale up our resources in R&D, in best practices services and of course provide a lot of opportunities for MatrixOne to be integrated as part of this comprehensive road map.
"PLM is an open market space; it's growing nicely. We are No. 1, but we want to increase our share, which we are estimating to be at 23% worldwide," Charles said. He referred to figures from research firm Daratech citing a $2.2 billion market last year in collaborative business processes alone -- one segment of PLM -- and a forecasted growth of at least 20% over the next five years. "We want to take a share of that."
More than 850 companies, representing hundreds of thousands of users, work with MatrixOne solutions, including industry leaders such as Alcatel, Celestica, GAP, General Electric, IBM, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Nokia, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Qualcomm, Sony Ericsson, STMicroelectronics and Toshiba. MatrixOne has 488 employees and 26 offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
For its most recent fiscal year ended July 2, 2005, MatrixOne reported total revenues of $124.1 million, up from $109.6 million in 2004. Loss for 2005 was $20.3 million, up from a loss of $12.4 million in 2004. Dassault Systèmes, with nearly 6,000 employees worldwide, earned $1.2 billion in revenue in 2005.
Charles indicated that he foresees no changes in management for the companies as a result of the acquisition.


text:
Ian Merrington, Chief Executive Officer at the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative will be a speaker at the Manufacturing Indaba taking place from the 22nd to the 26th of November 2021. He will be speaking on the new digital revolution (4IR) – threats and opportunities for the domestic economy, investment and job creation on Wednesday, 24th November at 9.30 AM – 10.30 AM (SAST).
The Virtual Manufacturing Indaba Week, with its strategic partners, provides a platform to engage and discuss the latest global and local manufacturing trends using one point of entry. The Virtual Conference includes engaging panels and networking experiences that will fit your diary using the latest industry technology.
This annual event is hosted to empower members of Sub-Saharan Africa’s promising manufacturing community to identify global trends; keep abreast with global competition; embrace digital transformation; cultivate a skilled workforce; enable black industrialist collaboration and acquire insight into what incentives are available to better empower their businesses in the new era impacted by COVID-19. These discussions will pave the way for a more equitable, competitive and successful manufacturing industry and economy as a whole.


text:
The Philippine economy grew at a faster pace in the second quarter on government spending ahead of the general election.
Gross domestic product expanded 7 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, faster than the revised 6.8 percent growth in the first three months, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.
The economy expanded at the fastest pace in three years, while growth was forecast to ease to 6.6 percent.
On the production side, services output climbed 8.4 percent and the industry sector advanced 6.9 percent. On the other hand, agriculture output declined 2.1 percent.
Quarter-on-quarter, GDP growth improved to 1.8 percent from 1.3 percent in the first three months of the year.
In the first half of the year, GDP grew 6.9 percent from the same period of last year.
President Rodrigo Duterte has taken over a country in good shape, Gareth Leather at Capital Economics said. Although the foundations are in place for growth to remain strong, Duterte’s election has made the outlook more uncertain, the economist added.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the economy is likely to see slower growth as the first half growth was boosted by government spending ahead of the election. The government expects the economy to grow 7-8 percent this year.
The expenditure-side breakdown of GDP showed that household spending grew 7.3 percent in the second quarter.
Driven by the implementation of social programs, government spending logged a double-digit growth of 13.5 percent. Investment in fixed capital formation surged 27.2 percent.
Exports of goods increased only 4.1 percent and that of services gained 15.3 percent. At the same time, imports of goods moved up 22.9 percent and services imports rose 13.3 percent.


text:
Ginger was born in The Netherlands, works across the EU, and has always had international ambitions. Our expansion into the US is natural given the size of the market and the strong growth of e-commerce payment revenues that banks are looking to capitalize on.
Amsterdam, October 23, 2019 — Ginger is closing out 2019 by entering the US market. Given an increasing number of inquiries from American banks, we will debut Ginger in the US at this October’s Money2020 event in Las Vegas.
While Money2020 will mark the beginning of our US endeavors, Ginger plans to announce new partnerships later in 2019 and roll out localized payment features in early 2020. Additionally, the Ginger team has planned several prospecting trips to New York City for the coming year and intends to open a local hub later in 2020 to better serve their North American clients.
“Thanks to the overall growth in e-commerce initiatives like Apple Pay, and the success of fintech heroes like Adyen and Stripe, banks are rethinking their payments strategy. Payments, after a long time, have become sexy again.
Banks are turning to Ginger because our PaaS model offers a novel way to gain cutting-edge payments capabilities without the upfront capital investment of developing everything in house. And we do it fast! Not to mention that with us, you forego ongoing maintenance and update costs.”
Ginger at Money2020 in Las Vegas
“Attending Money2020 will serve as Ginger’s launchpad to the US. Although we’ve fielded quite a few inquiries of interest to date, we are excited to introduce ourselves to American players who seek more holistic and flexible payment solutions that can easily be integrated into their existing Merchant Services.
We think it is important to attend this event to help shape the future of payments and fully realize the value of online payments within the financial services industry.”
Ginger in 2020
Growth has been the name of the game. Our Amsterdam team has doubled in size in 2019 and is expected to double again in the coming year. Expansion into new territories – like the US – is set to continue through 2020. Given Ginger’s focus on international partnerships, we recognize the need to tailor our Payments Platform and website to each local context. For example, we plan to launch newly localized features on our payment platform that comply with US regulations and match the latest local market advancements.
Ginger, founded in 2014 by a team of industry experts, is a fast-growing PaaS (Payments as a Service) company based in Amsterdam, NL.
Ginger empowers Banks and FIs to offer local online payments solutions to their merchants all over the world. Whether you are looking for a complete PSP solution (Merchant Services) or just parts of the online payment value chain, we can help you grow your offering with our modular platform.
Our solutions use your company’s branding and free you from the technical as well as ﬁnancial burden associated with the setup times of building your own from scratch. It allows you to focus on making a commercial success of your solution, while we offer you a trusted API-based and modular platform with fast delivery without compromising on reliability and security.
We are an experienced technical company trusted by large tier-1 financial institutions such as ING Bank, Mastercard, Kabbage, Airmiles, and Payconiq.
To learn more about Ginger and where we are headed, visit: www.gingerpayments.com.


text:
MINNEAPOLIS — Polaris is recalling about 14,885 MATRYX RMK KHAOS and PRO snowmobiles sold in the U.S. due to a potential fire hazard.
The company says the brake system can overheat in the caliper/pad/brake rotor area if the rider engages the throttle and brake simultaneously, including the parking brake. This could lead to burn injuries and pose a fire risk.
Consumers are urged to stop using the recalled snowmobiles and contact Polaris or an authorized dealer for a free repair, including a check of the snowmobile’s braking system and software update.
An additional 4,555 snowmobiles were sold in Canada.
Contact Polaris at https://www.polaris.com or (800) 765-2747 for more information.


text:
DiDi said robotaxis will be available on its rideshare app by 2025, and Regent Craft said it will begin testing electric seagliders next year.
Travel Startup Funding This Week
Each week we round up travel startups that have recently received or announced funding. Please email Travel Tech Reporter Justin Dawes at [email protected] if you have funding news.
Six travel tech startups announced fundraises over the past week of more than $222 million.
>>DiDi Autonomous Driving, which is developing autonomous vehicles for rideshares, has raised $149 million from Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. and Guangzhou Development District Investment Group Co.
DiDi Autonomous Driving is a subsidiary of DiDi Global, a rideshare app based in Beijing. It started as a division of the parent company in 2016 and then was established as a subsidiary in 2020.
The company earlier this year said that it plans to release robotaxis that customers can reserve through the DiDi rideshare app by 2025.
A model of the vehicle, called DiDi Neuron, shows a robotic arm inside that can pick up luggage, wake passengers up, and pick up items from throughout the interior. And there’s no driver’s seat.
The company already operates limited robotaxi services in certain areas of Guangzhou and Shanghai.
With the latest funding, DiDi said it plans to “invest deeply in research and development, accelerate the implementation of related products, pursue open collaborations in the industry chain, build a sustainable and open industry ecosystem, and expedite the widespread commercial use of autonomous driving technology.”
>>Regent Craft, which is developing an electric seaglider for commercial travel, has raised $60 million in series A funding.
The round was co-led by 8090 Industries and Founders Fund, with support from Japan Airlines Innovation Fund, Lockheed Martin, Yamato Holdings, Point72 Ventures, Caffeinated Capital, Mark Cuban, UAE’s Strategic Development Fund, Future Planet Capital and others.
The company has now raised $90 million to date.
Rhode Island-based Regent Craft said its aircraft is meant for transportation along coastal routes. It will sit in the water at a dock for boarding and then lift off from the water. The company said it will fly within one wingspan from the surface of the water at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, traveling up to 180 miles on a single charge.
The company said it plans to test flights with a crew next year, and it’s on track to certify, manufacture, and deliver the product to customers by mid-decade.
Its flagship seaglider, called Viceroy, will carry 12 passengers up to 180 miles, meant for underserved coastal communities. The company also has plans for a future aircraft to carry 100 passengers up to 500 miles.
“There are extraordinarily few companies today with battery powered vehicles that can fly human crew, and Regent is about to join those ranks,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent, in a statement. “Seagliders will be the first electric flying machine to be economically viable, and I’m willing to bet, the first one that the majority of the world will take a ride in.”
The company said it has secured commercial orders worth more than $8 billion for more than 500 seagliders from airline and ferry companies including Mesa Airlines, Brittany Ferries, and FRS.
Southern Airways is slated as the first client to receive the completed Viceroy product, which will operate under the Mokulele Airlines brand.
Besides commercial operations, Regent is looking at business in cargo transport, search and rescue, offshore logistics, and military.
>>Convious, an e-commerce platform for tourist attractions, has raised $9 million in an extension of its series A round that now totals $20 million in equity and debt.
The round was led by firm Wille Finance, with participation from Orbit Capital and existing investors.
The Amsterdam-based startup said its platform streamlines operations for clients including theme parks, museums, zoos, and aquariums. The platform includes products for e-commerce, food and beverage sales, crowd managements, marketing, pricing, and more.
The funding will go toward expanding business in an industry that tends to be lagging in tech adoption.
>>Goodwrx, a platform that connects hospitality employers with contract workers, has raised $4 million in funding from Advantage Capital.
The Las Vegas-based platform allows employers to connect with gig workers to staff shifts that might otherwise go unfilled. Workers could include cooks, servers, dishwashers, bartenders, porters, or front desk agents.
The funding will go toward enhancing the platform and expanding the user base, the startup said.
>>Aerovy, a startup developing software for the next generation of aircraft, has raised $800,000 in pre-seed funding.
The round comes from Purdue Innovates, M25, and the Flywheel Fund.
The Indiana-based startup’s technology has been developed based on work by students at Purdue University.
Aerovy said its software addresses some of the biggest challenges that the industry faces as it develops next-generation electric aircraft, particularly power grid limitations and operations management.
The software streamlines the process of electrical infrastructure planning and operations management, meant to optimize energy usage and enhance the sustainability of electric aircraft charging systems, the company said.
The startup is planning a round of seed funding in 2024.
The company had raised $20 million before this round.
The funding will go toward adding products and expanding business domestically. The company says it has 1,500 clients.
|DiDi Autonomous Driving||Unspecified||Unspecified||$149 million|
|Regent Craft||Series A||8090 Industries and Founders Fund||$60 million|
|Convious||Series A extension||Wille Finance||$9 million|
|Goodwrx||Unspecified||Advantage Capital||$4 million|
Skift Cheat Sheet
Seed capital is money used to start a business, often led by angel investors and friends or family.
Series A financing is typically drawn from venture capitalists. The round aims to help a startup’s founders make sure that their product is something that customers truly want to buy.
Series B financing is mainly about venture capitalist firms helping a company grow faster. These fundraising rounds can assist in recruiting skilled workers and developing cost-effective marketing.
Series C financing is ordinarily about helping a company expand, such as through acquisitions. In addition to VCs, hedge funds, investment banks, and private equity firms often participate.
Series D, E, and, beyond These mainly mature businesses and the funding round may help a company prepare to go public or be acquired. A variety of types of private investors might participate.
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch
Tags: aircraft, autonomous vehicles, business travel, didi, electric vehicles, funding, hospitality, labor, ridesharing, software, sustainability, tour operators, tourist attractions, tours and activities, vcroundup
Photo credit: The DiDi Neuron robotaxi contains a robotic arm that can pick up luggage. DiDi / DiDi


text:
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has given Stanlib Investments the go-ahead to buy Greenspan Mall through its new real-estate fund.
Stanlib Investments is proposing to buy Greenspan Mall in Embakasi, Nairobi, using proceeds from Kenya’s debut Income-Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) issue.
Stanlib’s Fahari I-Reit will buy Greenspan Mall for Sh2 billion.
Competition Authority of Kenya director-general Wang’ombe Kariuki said the proposed deal meets the legal threshold for the acquisition to go ahead.
“The merger shall not affect competition negatively and (b) the acquirer had no turnover for the preceding year, 2014 as is newly established, while that of the target was Sh202,598,073, which is below the required merger threshold for mandatory notification as contained in the Merger Threshold Guidelines,” he said.
Stanlib’s Fahari-I Reit was targeting to raise as much as Sh12.5 billion and was supposed to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) on Thursday but the listing date has been postponed after the day was declared a public holiday due to the visit by Pope Francis.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has already committed Sh1.5 billion to the property fund.
The Fahari I-Reit will use proceeds from the offer to buy rental properties. In addition to Greenspan Mall, two other office blocks in Nairobi’s Industrial Area node have been identified for purchase.
Analysts say while the properties to be bought have conditions that allow for rent to be increased, in the long-term rents may rise slowly since more office space is expected to come to the market.
“Fahari I-Reit unit holders are well cushioned against inflation with rent escalation rate between 6 per cent and 7.5 per cent per annum being above 6.72 per cent inflation rate. However, we note the boom within the construction sector with the upcoming 3.11 million square feet office space as well as shopping complexes which could increase competition leading to lower property yield,” said a report by Sterling Capital.
Property developers and consultants MML Group earlier in the year said in their office market report that the biggest supply in office space would be Kilimani, Upper Hill and Westlands in Nairobi.
MML, however, said it expects demand for Grade A rental offices that meet global standards to continue growing. The consultancy found that only 10 out of 41 new office blocks surveyed had met the international parking standard of three spaces per 1,000 square foot.
The report also found that on average office rents had increased by six per cent last year.


text:
UK: North Face firm on commitment to supplier wages
North Face has defended the brand's ethics on workers' wages
The North Face says it remains committed to ensuring its suppliers meet the group's ethical standards despite a report accusing the outdoor wear brand of failing workers by not paying a living wage.
European retailers including Debenhams, Matalan and North Face were highlighted in a brand survey, published this week, as one of a number of companies having failed their supply chain workers by not paying a living wage.
The report, produced by The Clean Clothes Campaign and entitled: 'Tailored Wages', surveyed Europe's 50 leading fashion and sportswear brands to analyse what they are doing to pay a living wage.
Based on a multi-brand survey by Labour Behind the Label, the study revealed that while half of those surveyed include wording in their codes of conduct saying that wages should be enough to meet workers' basic needs; only four brands - Inditex, Marks & Spencer, Switcher and Tchibo - were able to demonstrate clear progress towards implementing this. Even these, the report noted, have a long way to go before a living wage is realised for the garment workers.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for North Face defended the brand's ethics, pointing out that it takes its workers' wages and working conditions "seriously".
"We are committed to ensure that our suppliers and partners share and meet our social, environmental and ethical standards. As part of VF Corporation, we adhere to and support VF's established Global Compliance Principles and Terms of Engagement. These principles are based upon the Fair Labour Association code and explicitly refer to ILO core conventions, covering working conditions, hours, wages, freedom of association, collective bargaining and occupational health and safety, among other important areas of compliance."
The brand said it also works with Social Accountability International (SAI), a certification body, in order to ensure "compliance with its social certification standard for decent workplaces and basic needs".
North Face added that it believes the Clean Clothes Campaign "plays a helpful role in promoting discussion about wages and working conditions".
"The North Face, along with VF, will continue to support an open dialogue with the Campaign and other stakeholders about our ongoing work in this area and to support SAI," the spokesperson said.
Another retail brand highlighted was Sweden's Hennes & Mauritz. The report noted the company had added its name to the list of companies having made public pledges, backed up by strategies, to the achievement of a living wage in 2013. However, it said H&M has not yet committed to any clear living-wage benchmark.
In response, a spokesperson for H&M was keen to poing out the report gives the opinion of one just campaign organisation.
"The textile workers own perception of what a fair living wage is serves as our definition of a living wage. This approach is the heart of our fair living wage roadmap, introduced last year. For us, their voices are most important to listen to.
"We believe that it is an outdated view that foreign companies should determine what a living wage is in for example Bangladesh. It is important the wages should be set by negotiation between the different parties of the labour market. Several knowledgeable voices such as Swedish trade union IF Metall, global unions and wage experts at International Labour Organization (ILO), are supporting the path we have chosen."
MarketLine's Company Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organi...
The most-read stories on just-style this week include a look at the risk to Lesotho's textile and clothing production if the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is not renewed, delays to a major...
Debenhams plc - Strategy and SWOT Report, is a source of comprehensive company data and information. The report covers the company’s structure, operation, SWOT analysis, product and service offerin......
Inditex, Industria de Diseño Textil SA is present in Colombia with its Zara, Bershka, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius brands. The company plans to continue expanding into major and medium-sized cities....
Inditex is going to continue its expansion in France, as there is high demand for fast fashion apparel, and the company has an advantage over its competitors thanks to its affordable prices and its st...
- Where next for 3D design and prototyping?
- What Marks & Spencer's numbers mean for clothing
- Balance essential in garment supply chain
- Apparel buyers miss out on commodity cost savings
- Tanzania adds to Africa’s apparel sourcing mix
- Brandix named PVH ‘Global Supplier of the Year’
- Earthquake damage at Bangladesh garment factories
- Ascena Retail to buy Ann Taylor owner for $2bn
- China and India to exploit trade relationship
- AGOA delays drag on sourcing decisions


text:
LG G3 – What We Know So Far – Specs, Release Date, Design
LG’s latest flagship is right around the corner while leaks and rumors are in full swing. So let’s take a look at what we know so far.
LG’s flagship is expected to host the latest and best specifications to beat out the competition. The Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 both have Snapdragon 801 processors with 2GB of RAM and 1080p screens. The G3 is expected to try and top these two phones spec for spec.
- 5.5″ Inch QHD (2K) Display
- 16/32 GB Storage
- 2/3 GB RAM
- 13MP OIS+ Camera
- 3,000 mAh Removable Battery
- 1 Watt Speaker
- Snapdragon 801 Processor
Last year when LG introduced the G2, they introduced the idea of rear facing buttons to the world. These buttons were the first we had ever seen of rear mounted buttons. Up until that point all OEMs had been placing their buttons around the sides of the phone. It definitely looks like these buttons will be returning along with on-screen navigation buttons. All of this helps LG win their battle against bezels with practically non-existent bezels on the side. On the G2 the 5.2″ inch display took up over 72% of the phone’s front side, and it’s only going to get better with the G3.
Update – 5/6/14
The glossy plastic is gone! According to a new leak from Evleaks, LG is using a new design on the back of the phone to stop the war on fingerprints.
LG has a heavy skin over Android like Samsung does, and it definitely has plenty of room for improvement. According to leaked screenshots, the G3 will have a cleaned up software experience that is more minimalistic and flat. While the skin is still very heavy on top of Android 4.4, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
This year it seems that LG will be launching a variant of the G3 at launch in the form of the LG G3 Mini. This device is rumored to pack a 4.7″ inch, 720p display according to leaks earlier this year.
LG brings a feature packed experience to their devices and the G3 will be no different. On the software side features will be expected to return such as QSlide apps, QuickRemote, and more. A new feature seen briefly is some sort of new digital assistant. We don’t know much about it at this time however.
On the hardware, features are expected to include the 13MP OIS+ camera and the 2K display, in a waterproof and dustproof package. There isn’t much behind the rumor of the phone being both water and dust proof, but the device is expected to bring an IP67 rating to compete with the Galaxy S5 which is water resistant and dustproof.
LG has an event scheduled for May 27th which is assumed to be the launch event for the G3. If that is true the phone will most likely land


text:
Marvin G. Perez
Indonesia’s cocoa output may climb 15 percent to 20 percent in 2013 after growers boosted planting, said John Bako Baon, a senior research scientist at the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute.
“A national program to increase and rehabilitate cocoa production and processing” started in 2009, he said in an interview today in Washington at an industry conference sponsored by the World Cocoa Foundation.
Output in 2012 may be 500,000 metric tons, he said. Ivory Coast is the world’s biggest producer, followed by Ghana and Indonesia.
More beans may be used for grinding in the domestic market in 2013, limiting exports, he said. Shipments this year may be 120,000 tons, he said.
Indonesia imposed an export tax of 5 percent to 15 percent on cocoa beans in April 2010 to expand its processing industry. The country’s grinding capacity expanded to 480,000 tons this year from 250,000 tons in 2009, Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said in May.


text:
- New store located at 990 N. Missouri Ave., relocating from 1111 N. Missouri Ave.
- Relocated Largo Walmart creates approximately 85 additional jobs
- Store open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Local Facebook page: www.facebook.com/walmart1712
LARGO, Fla., Oct. 15, 2014 – A relocated Walmart is opening Wednesday October 22, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The new store is conveniently located at 990 N. Missouri Ave., relocated from 1111 N. Missouri Ave., and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The store will provide Largo residents with low prices on a broad assortment of merchandise and offer Walmart's free Site to Store program, enabling customers to choose from nearly a million additional online items that can be ordered on Walmart.com and picked up at the Largo store for free, often as quickly as the same day.
The new store employs approximately 300 full- and part-time associates. Store manager Emmanuel Gilliam began his Walmart career in 1996 as an hourly associate. Gilliam is one of the many veterans that are employed by Walmart.
“We are excited to continue to offer top-quality customer service in our new location,” said Gilliam. “Though some aspects are new, we will always be a convenient one-stop shopping option for the community.”
Affordable Groceries to Meet All Your Needs
The new store offers fresh produce and a full line of groceries from all the leading brand names, including organic and natural selections. There is also a wide variety of meat and bakery selections perfect for a holiday meal.
In addition to groceries, the store features quality, value-priced general merchandise, including electronics and family apparel. In addition, customers can shop a broader assortment of items online at Walmart.com and then pay for these purchases with cash in all of Walmart U.S. stores and Walmart Neighborhood Markets, including the new Largo store.
The pharmacy offers a full range of products and services. Pharmacy team members can answer product and prescription questions and customers can ask about health and wellness solutions. Largo residents can easily transfer prescriptions and order refills on the go with the Walmart mobile app for iPhone and Android.
“This new Walmart in the heart of Largo is a welcome addition,” said Tom Morrissette, president of the Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce. “It has redeveloped what had been a blighted property and its presence will certainly enhance our opportunities for further development.”
The grand-opening celebration includes presentations of $7,000 in grants from Walmart to local community groups. Grant recipients include Largo High School Band of Gold, Largo Middle School, Homeless Emergency Project, City of Largo Shop with a Cop or Fireman, City of Largo Parks and Recreation, Pak a Sack and RCS Food Bank.
In addition to the grants given as part of the grand opening, the new store will further Walmart’s pledge to fight hunger in America. As part of Walmart’s and the Walmart Foundation’s $2 billion commitment to fight hunger through 2015, Walmart stores in Florida donated approximately 35.2 million pounds of food, in fiscal year 2014, or the equivalent of 29.3 million meals. Additionally, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $66.8 million in fiscal year 2014 in Florida alone. For more information on Walmart’s fight against hunger, visit http://foundation.walmart.com/our-focus/hunger.
A Big Family Welcome
Walmart is happy to be part of the Largo community and is ready to celebrate with residents on Saturday, October 25. A Big Family Welcome will give customers a chance to meet Gilliam and enjoy fun family activities and free food samples while supplies last. Join the celebration from noon to 3 p.m.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better -- anytime and anywhere -- in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 250 million customers and members visit our 11,053 stores under 71 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2014 sales of over $473 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
- Location: 990 N. Missouri Ave., Largo, Fla.
- Previous location: 1111 N. Missouri Ave.
- Size: Approximately 115,000 square feet
- Store manager: Emmanuel Gilliam
- Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Grand opening: Wednesday, October 22, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m.
- Number of jobs created: Approximately 85
- Full-time and part-time positions
- General merchandise
- Full line of groceries, including
- Fresh produce
- Full-service deli
- Prepared meal options
- Convenience services include
- Walmart Site-to-Store
- Pay with Cash option
- In-store Pharmacy
- $7,000 in grants from Walmart will be presented to the following area organizations:
- Largo High School Band of Gold
- Largo Middle School
- Homeless Emergency Project
- City of Largo Shop with a Cop or Fireman
- City of Largo Parks and Recreation
- Pak a Sack
- RCS Food Bank
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/walmart1712
A Big Family Welcome
- Saturday, October 25 from noon to 3 p.m.
For more information
- Media contact: Bridget Schultz, Mitchell Communications Group, 479-301-7987
- Walmart Media Relations, 800-331-0085
- Walmart information online: www.corporate.walmart.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com


text:
Xiaomi Is Reportedly Trying to Shift Staff Out of Beijing–Yicai Global
What happened: According to an alleged internal document circulated online, Beijing-based Xiaomi is offering incentives for staff to move to its Wuhan and Nanjing offices. Those who make the move can keep their Beijing-level salary – likely significantly higher than average for a second-tier city – and receive an RMB 30,000 relocation bonus, as well as get help in buying a local home. In addition, Xiaomi would provide over two weeks of hotel accommodation at RMB 400 per night and the opportunity to rent “talent apartments” at subsidized rates. In return, workers must stay at their new office for at least two years.
Why it’s important: After going public in Hong Kong this year, Xiaomi may be feeling secure enough to shift more staff out of the first-tier tech hub of Beijing. In doing so, the electronics manufacturer can not only reduce the cost of employment but also take advantage of various perks that second-tier cities are offering to lure in companies. It’s not the first tech giant to do so: this past summer, due to high costs fellow smartphone maker Huawei began relocating staff of several departments from Shenzhen to the Guangdong factory town of Dongguan.


text:
You were wondering why Google was hesitant to put multi-touch on those HTC Android handsets in the US?
Today Apple announced they were suing HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. Google wasn’t mentioned but this is just the latest (and biggest) escalation of the battle of Silicon Valley behemoths.
Steve Jobs said:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.